There’s no better season to explore S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) concepts than during the warm summer months. Science experiments can be messy (in the most fun ways) and feats of engineering often need space to spread out. For preschoolers, hands-on activities pique their interest and keep them engaged in learning. That’s especially true for activities that involve mixing, observing, or building. If you’re looking for ways to keep S.T.E.A.M learning fun during summer afternoons, here are a few ideas to try with your little ones.
1. Grow a crystal garden.
A simple mix of Epsom salt and water is the basis of this beautiful experiment that will capture the attention of your preschooler. In a glass container, mix together a 1:1 ratio of hot water and Epsom salt. Have your child stir to dissolve the salts. Add a few drops of food coloring and a few grains of sand. Place the jar in the freezer for ten minutes, then transfer it to the fridge to cool overnight. In the morning, your child will find a colorful crystal garden. You can pour out the extra liquid, and the crystals will stay in solid form. Or leave the jars in the fridge for up to one week for even more complex and beautiful crystals. Share with your child that the processes of evaporation and crystallization are both in play.
2. Make some fluffy slime.
This version of slime is perfect for little hands that are still developing gross motor skills. Mix up 4 ounces of white glue, 8 ounces of shaving cream, and a few drops of food coloring. Slowly add a small amount of liquid starch until it all starts to come together. This soft slime is easy for kiddos to make, and they can play with it for hours.
3. Plant a few seeds.
Germinating plants from seed or seedlings is the perfect introduction to biology for kids. Preschoolers love to track growth of plants and animals, and they’ll excitedly check on the growth of roots and leaves from day to day. If you can mature your plants enough to harvest them, your little ones will love eating the veggies that they’ve grown all by themselves.
4. Create fun ice sculptures.
Warm weather is perfect for this cool activity. Using tupperware-style containers, freeze water into blocks of ice. Once they’ve hardened overnight, take them outside and place them in larger plastic storage containers. Here comes the fun! Hand your preschooler some colorful salts and warm water to melt the ice and add colors. Ask which melts the ice faster—warm water or salt? This is also the perfect way to teach them that water becomes solid when it’s at a freezing temperature.
Need Help Providing Even More Summer Activities?
Setting up science experiments can take a bit of preparation. If you’re looking for summer programming that kids love, check out Camp Gardner, our 10-week program that continues the school year’s academically-focused lessons with a more relaxed, summer camp environment, including lots of S.T.E.A.M. activities. We provide plenty of outdoor time, memorable team games, and so many different enrichment activities for your little one. Contact us today to learn more about Camp Gardner at The Gardner School nearest you.
*Extra thanks to babbledabbledo for some of these great S.T.E.A.M. learning activities!